Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general early on Saturday by a 50-49 Senate vote, formalizing the role he had already been filling in an acting capacity after President Donald Trump fired Pam Bondi in April. The confirmation puts Trump’s former personal lawyer in charge of the Justice Department despite bipartisan concerns that the agency could be used to pursue the president’s political agenda. Blanche represented Trump in several criminal trials before entering government, and his nomination triggered a bruising confirmation fight over the department’s independence from the White House. Critics have argued that Trump wants the law enforcement agency to investigate his political enemies, while Blanche has said he helped bring crime to record lows and undo what he described as wrongs by the Biden administration against Trump and his conservative allies. Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins opposed Blanche, citing concerns about politicization. Other Republicans also questioned his handling of the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents and his role in creating Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponisation” fund and a related tax-immunity agreement for the president and his sons. Blanche secured enough support after agreeing in writing to narrow the tax-immunity agreement and end the “weaponisation” payments, though questions remain over whether that commitment is legally binding and whether Trump could seek to revive a similar program under another name. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote after saying Blanche was the best option Trump would put forward.